My Anaconda

When I found out I was pregnant with Jack, I started to worry about how we were going to afford all the things we needed for a baby; bed, dresser, clothes, insurance... I had no idea just then how many people help you out. Through work I knew this fella Ray. Ray had 3 daughters. His youngest was still sleeping in a crib. One day he walked by her bedroom while she was playing with her dollies. He overheard her say something along the lines of "and now you go in the cage little baby." He poked his head in the room to see what was going on and saw his little girl putting her baby doll to sleep in the crib. He decided it was time to move her into a bigger bed. He offered John and I the crib and it has served us for both Jack & Wy guy.

So, Tuesday night Mama called for me to grab my camera and hurry upstairs. She was changing Wyatt's diaper. He just laid there 'reading the paper' the whole time. (Fellas start their bathroom habits early, huh?) Connie just so happened to be hanging out in the boys' room while ma was getting Wy changed for bed. She turned to me and said "Why does Wyatt have to sleep in a cage?"

We had a small celebration for Mama's graduation with one of Mom's favorite dinners: my sloppy joes with steamed cauliflower and a lovely salad followed by a DELICIOUS chocolate truffle cake with chocolate ice cream. Wy called for "Cree! Cree! Cree!" His desperate call for ice cream!

Wy has started to repeat the alphabet after me letter by letter. He has also started to repeat numbers through 10. He loves to count to 3 forwards and backwards(something he can do on his own) as he climbs stairs.

I have mentioned that we are working with Devlyn on colors, shapes, numbers and letters. She can count to 10 and knows the alphabet though she can't identify numbers or letters. We have picked up a few sets of flash cards and I try to spend a little time each day doing flash card games with her. Jack loves to join us. We were going over the flashcards on Friday and I excused myself for a moment. I told the kids to look at the numbers while I was gone. Jack immediately held up a flashcard to Devlyn and said "Devwn - what nummer is zis?" He flash carded her the whole time I was away from the table.

Our new kitchen cabinets were delivered this week. Mom and I took a few of the kids out today to pick out paint for the kitchen. While at the store Abby found a dress she really liked. She asked if she could wear it for her First Communion. Mom reminded Abby that she asked mom to make a dress for her. Abby then said "Well, can I have this for my Second Communion?"

John came home on Wednesday and Jack was tearing pillows, cushions and blankets off the sofa. John said "Hey Jack, what are you doing?" Jack looked up at him and said "I'm making a mess, Daddy."

Wy was being sassy with Devlyn Thursday morning - and by sassy I mean he was screeching and grunting at her for no discernible reason. I asked him "Do you want to go in time out, young man?" He said "Yeah!"

I got home Wednesday night and the boys were still awake. Poor John needed a break so I shooed him out of the boys' room and sat down with Wy in the rocker. Jack asked me to sit beside him, so Wy and I moved over into Jack's little toddler bed. I played a round of sudoku and suddenly Wy starts giggling and laughing. I couldn't figure out what was so funny. I will never know because he was fast asleep. Whatever he was dreaming was totally funny to him though.

I stopped at Michael's on Wednesday to pick up some things and I let Jack, Devlyn & Wyatt pick out one toy each. Initially they settled on Pirate hats and tiaras. A few minutes later they changed their minds and held a long debate between the joys of trains vs the fun of harmonicas. The cashier walked up to inform me that "We are very concerned about health and safety ma'am. Since the children have put their mouths on the harmonicas, you will have to buy them." I really wanted to look at her and say "Well, are you going to call the Michael's' cops and put me in Michael's' jail if I don't?" I didn't. Anyway, we - I mean I - bought the harmonicas and the kids were very happy to sit around and make music. I'm sure you will all think I'm crazy, but 3kids blowing wildly on their harmonicas while I drove home really didn't bother me.

Anyway, we went home and I put Wy down for a short nap. I settled Jack & Devlyn on the sofas to watch Winnie the Pooh. I started to head upstairs but had to stop when Jack said "Jax wants a green anaconda." I looked at him and said "I don't understand what that means." "Jax wants a green anaconda." "You want a snake?" "No, Jax wants my anaconda." I couldn't stop myself: I sang "My anaconda don't want none unless you got buns hun! You can do side bends or sit ups, but please don't lose that butt!" Jack was looking at me like I was a whack job. Suddenly I realized he wanted his green harmonica. This is my life: Someone says something that reminds me of a song. I sing the song. And the person who started it all stands there looking at me like I am a whack job...

(I know most of this is about the littler kids - but I have been in rehearsals in the evenings - so I only see the older girls in the mornings and you really don't want to hear about what mornings are like. We'll just leave it at the fact that someone goes in time out, someone cries, someone pouts, someone doesn't want to eat what we are eating for breakfast, someone doesn't want to...I think you get the picture.)

Finally - here we have the majority of the gang in time out all at once. They seem to think the living room, dining room and kitchen is a track built especially for them to race through the house.

OK - love and blessings~
Owenland Park!